Atlanta For The Final Four - Where To Eat?

[jrichman]

Hi All,

Heading down to ATL for the Final Four and looking for some recommendations on good eats - prefer the local cuisine. So far on the list is Ruths Chris for dinner one night and South City Kitchen for brunch. Looking for some good local eats for lunch, dinner etc...We are staying north of downtown on Powers Ferry Road, so any restaurants in the hotel area or downtown is what we would like!

Thank You.

[DTBarton]

I don't think any trip to Atlanta is complete without a visit to the Varsity.

http://thevarsity.com/

[Dave the Cook]

Sorry to find this late; hope you find the following helpful.

By all means, go to the Varsity, but not for the food, which is mediocre. It's a one-of-a-kind experience, though.

If you're on Powers Ferry, you're close to some really good places: the Star Provisions complex includes the flagship store (good sandwiches), Bacchanalia (considered by many to be the best restaurant in the city), Quinones (very fine dining, but only open on Saturdays) and Abbatoir (nose-to-tail). In the same strip center are JCT Kitchen & Bar (farm-to-table), Osteria del Figo (casual Italian) and Tacqueria del Sol (sort-of Mex; I don't care for it, but people I otherwise respect do).

Rather than burgers at the Varsity (if you order anything other than a chili dog there, you'll be ridiculed), try Flip, Richard Blais' burger boutique. I think they're offering a discount through Monday if you can show a Final Four ticket stub.

You're also close to a fun, better-than-average place for breakfast, OK Café. Nothing fancy on the menu, but it's solid food, as well as a popular place for local politicians, cooks and chefs and journalists.

In a different direction, but not much farther away, are Holeman & Finch (terrific cocktails, burgers, charcuterie) and Eugene (fine dining). Not far from that is Watershed (all-around excellent, but especially for brunch).

BTW, I'm not sure if you're under the impression that Ruth's Chris is an Atlanta institution; it's not. For the steakhouse experience, locals go to Chops, Bones (both in Buckhead) or Rathbun's (midtown-Old 4th Ward).